Mary Nnah
The huge opportunities that youths can avail themselves of in proper management, disposal and recycling of waste was the focus at a recent programme organised by the Lagos Ikoyi Lions Club in collaboration with Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).
The event Themed, “Importance of Proper Waste Disposal: Using the 3Rs”, held at the premises of the Master Moulder International School, Lekki, Lagos, was in commemoration of the 2021 International Youth Day, an awareness day designated by the United Nations to bring youth issues to the attention of the international community and celebrate the potential of youth as partners in today’s global society.
The guest speaker, Assistant Director, Head of Unit, Advocacy, LAWMA, Mr. Adedeji Victor, said the impact of improper disposal of wastes in Lagos was enormous.
“If the citizens are not abiding to proper waste disposal management, considering the population and social economic activities, you will have a continuous unwholesome environment, you will have continuous littering on our streets,” he said.
Taking the youths through the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) of waste disposal, Victor applauded Lion’s Club for embarking on the social responsibility in assisting LAWMA to teach the school children how to manage waste products.
President of Lagos Ikoyi Lions Club, Lion Abdulkarim Yusuf, explained that Lions Club has five focused areas which are Pediatric cancer, Hunger, Vision, Environment and Diabetes, adding that the club chose to take the youth through an environmental issue which the club felt was essential.
“We know the impact of improper waste management to global change and how it affects us here considering the enormous fact that Lagos is a low land area and we suffer a lot as a result of the global warming that is happening,” he said.
Yusuf further said Lagos as an aquatic state has had enormous challenges due to improper waste management.
“We felt the need that it is better to catch them young, to sensitise them about the importance of protecting their environment from dangers posed by human beings through improper disposal of waste”, adding, “We want to prepare them for the challenges of now so that the society will be better off tomorrow.”
Zonal Chairperson, Zone IA, Lions District 404A1, and past President of Ikoyi Lions Club, Lion TPL Soledotun Abdulkarim-Yusuf reiterated that the club’s aim was basically to enlighten the youths on the proper way of wastes disposal using the 3 Rs.
“By doing so, we were able to collaborate with LAWMA as the agency in charge of waste in Lagos State and today the youths have learned how to dispose of waste in the proper way and this goes a long way.”
She revealed further that the event had students from two schools in attendance – Master Moulder International Academy and the Lekki Peninsula College, adding, “So by impacting on these youths, they would be able to enlighten other youths too”.
Youth Committee Chairperson of the Club, Lion Afolake Ogunkoya, described the event as awesome, eye-opening and knowledge-impacting, noting, “Before now, I have not learned how to dispose waste using the 3 Rs method -separating the recyclable wastes from the reusable wastes. I have learned, unlearned and relearned, so it is quite an experience.”
Taking students through an old time, Nursery Rhyme, “See a Pin and Pick it up”, she told them that doing the right thing at the right time was very important, adding, “It doesn’t really matter that it is a pin as in the context, it could be any form of service and activity”.
Proprietress of Master Moulder International Academy, Mrs. Titilayo Shonaike expressed joy. She was optimistic that the children have learned that they need to segregate their waste and that in segregating the waste; they are able to recycle, reuse and reduce the waste.
“This is a lot on us because as a school we generate a whole lot of wastes. We use pet bottles a lot. It is a worthwhile project and it is going to have a long impact on the kids because now everybody will know that they don’t need to dump everything together and that they can even make some money from wastes by recycling”, she noted.
